Down with the kids

Today Big Sis had her first swimming lesson, when I say first I guess I mean first successful swimming lesson. I’ve tried on and off since she was a baby to get her interested in swimming lessons, but without much luck. The last foray was made at the local pool when she was around 20 months old. The lesson involved all the kids (under 2’s) getting in the water with mum or dad and an instructor leading us all through water play.

Big Sis seemed to have a problem with the instructor. He would start the lesson by greeting each baby and exchanging smiles and high - fives. Big Sis would steadfastly refuse to smile, she would meet his gaze with an insolent look and put her hands firmly behind her back. No high - five from my girl!

Things didn’t improve once the lesson commenced. Big Sis would refuse to participate in all activities. If the teacher tried to engage her she would simply turn her head away and pretend to be interested in something at the far end of the pool (except the Humpty Dumpty game jumping in off the side which even Big Sis found irresistible)!

The weird thing was that at the end of the lesson Big Sis would be desperate to get to the free play area of the pool, where she would systematically go through all the items from the class, generally in order, always doing them perfectly and with much glee.

I think we were soundly judged by the other parents in the class - particularly as I refused to force Big Sis to put her head underwater. The way I saw it - she was less than 2 years old and if she didn’t want to put her head under water that was fine with me - I mean who cares? I’d just fix them all with my steely eye and say, firmly “No, Big Sis doesn’t want to do that today.” I guess, as they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Anyway, she’s 3 now and we are planning a big beach holiday this Summer so I thought I’d give it another shot. I found a new swimming pool (I figured we’d done our dash at the last one) and was delighted to discover that I didn’t have to enter the water this time. Big Sis was delighted that she was required to wear goggles and swimming cap (she loves an accessory).

We arrived at the pool and I explained to Big Sis that mummy and Little Bro would sit on the side, I had a speech prepared which I had just started, I pointed out her teacher when she ran and leapt into the surprised young womans’ arms! By the end of the lesson she was kicking on a kick board and asking the young teacher if she could come and help her with the next class. Little Bro and I didn’t get a glance all lesson!

It all left me ponderings, was it something personal to the first instructor, was it the swimming cap and goggles that were missing all along or is she just ready now she’s 3? Either way - we’ll be back next week, with fingers crossed.